The Control of Apple Maggots in Organic Orchards with GF-120 NF Naturalyte* Fruit Fly Bait

J. Reekie¹, E. Specht¹, K. Carter², M. Appleby², H. Fraser², K. Wilson³ and L. Pink³

Abstract
The apple maggot (Rhagoletis pomonella) is indigenous to North America and is especially widespread in eastern Canada causing fruit damage and economic loss. It is a quarantine pest and infested apples have little or no market value.

For organic orchards, the only registered control product is Surround®, a kaolin clay powder, serving to deter but not actively killing the maggot flies.

GF-120 Naturalyte* fruit fly bait is a relatively new organic insecticide (0.02 % spinosad) which has the potential to control apple maggot.

Six field trials using different rates of GF-120 (1.5 L/ha, 2.25 L/ha and 3.0 L/ha) were conducted in the summer of 2007 in organic orchards located in two Canadian provinces, Nova Scotia and Ontario; the efficacy of GF-120 was assessed by comparing its performance to the level of apple maggot control achieved by Surround®.

Apple maggot pest pressure varied among the orchards under investigation. In Nova Scotia, the “Block 84” orchard was heavily infested with apple maggot and among the unsprayed apples, 69 % sustained some degree of fruit damage. In Ontario, 44 % of the unsprayed apples in “Home” orchard had apple maggot damage. Unsprayed apples from the rest of the orchards had apple maggot injury ranging from 11-18 %.

Results showed that less than 3 % of treated apples sustained apple maggot damage in any of the trials in this study except for those in “Block 84” and “Home”. GF-120 tested at any rate was as effective as Surround® in the control of apple maggot with the exception of the “Home” orchard, where the lowest rate of GF-120 had significantly more infested apples than Surround®. However, in the “Block 84” orchard, GF-120 at the lowest rate was as effective as Surround® and was able to reduce fruit damage from 69 % to 11 %.

Source
Cultivate the Future- 16th IFOAM Organic World Congress, Modena, 16-20 June 2008. Page 97-98

Author Locations & Affiliations
(1) Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Kentville, Nova Scotia
(2) Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
(3) Ontario

en français

Posted September 2008


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Research Extension Courses Consumers -------------------------- Virtual Farm Tours Student & Job Opportunities News Articles Links Standards -------------------------- Market Information Events Issues Animal Welfare Strategic Plans -------------------------- Award-winners Site Map	The Control of Apple Maggots in Organic Orchards with GF-120 NF Naturalyte* Fruit Fly Bait J. Reekie¹, E. Specht¹, K. Carter², M. Appleby², H. Fraser², K. Wilson³ and L. Pink³ Abstract The apple maggot (Rhagoletis pomonella) is indigenous to North America and is especially widespread in eastern Canada causing fruit damage and economic loss. It is a quarantine pest and infested apples have little or no market value. For organic orchards, the only registered control product is Surround®, a kaolin clay powder, serving to deter but not actively killing the maggot flies. GF-120 Naturalyte* fruit fly bait is a relatively new organic insecticide (0.02 % spinosad) which has the potential to control apple maggot. Six field trials using different rates of GF-120 (1.5 L/ha, 2.25 L/ha and 3.0 L/ha) were conducted in the summer of 2007 in organic orchards located in two Canadian provinces, Nova Scotia and Ontario; the efficacy of GF-120 was assessed by comparing its performance to the level of apple maggot control achieved by Surround®. Apple maggot pest pressure varied among the orchards under investigation. In Nova Scotia, the “Block 84” orchard was heavily infested with apple maggot and among the unsprayed apples, 69 % sustained some degree of fruit damage. In Ontario, 44 % of the unsprayed apples in “Home” orchard had apple maggot damage. Unsprayed apples from the rest of the orchards had apple maggot injury ranging from 11-18 %. Results showed that less than 3 % of treated apples sustained apple maggot damage in any of the trials in this study except for those in “Block 84” and “Home”. GF-120 tested at any rate was as effective as Surround® in the control of apple maggot with the exception of the “Home” orchard, where the lowest rate of GF-120 had significantly more infested apples than Surround®. However, in the “Block 84” orchard, GF-120 at the lowest rate was as effective as Surround® and was able to reduce fruit damage from 69 % to 11 %. Source Cultivate the Future- 16th IFOAM Organic World Congress, Modena, 16-20 June 2008. Page 97-98 *Author Locations & Affiliations* (1) Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Kentville, Nova Scotia (2) Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (3) Ontario *en français* Posted September 2008
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The Control of Apple Maggots in Organic Orchards with GF-120 NF Naturalyte* Fruit Fly Bait

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